Mary Allen
The aardvark’s prominent olfactory organ is a veritable ant and termite detector. The aardvark is also considered a lucky charm. Why? The aardvark can close its nose with a sphincter muscle to avoid inhaling soil.
What is special about aardvarks?
Outwardly striking are the strong body of the aardvark with arched back and muscular legs as well as the tubular elongated snout and the fleshy tail. The range of the species includes the entire sub-Saharan Africa. The animals inhabit open and closed landscapes.
Where are aardvarks?
The aardvark is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa—anywhere there are termites.
How do aardvarks live?
The habitat of the recent aardvark is savannah and open bushland. It is absent in dense forests and in deserts. Aardvarks live in open landscapes and dig large burrows and burrows. They come out at night to forage for ants and termites.
Is an aardvark an anteater?
Many people think that aardvarks are related to tapirs or anteaters, but this is not the case. Aardvarks are the only living species of this order and have no close family.
The aardvark has a snout like a pig and is called Piglet – like a little pig. Aardvarks are not pigs at all. They belong to the order of the tube teeth.
How big can an aardvark get?
In addition to the giant anteater, these are the pygmy anteater (Cyclopes) and the tamanduas (Tamandua). Their closest relatives are the sloths and armadillos. They only eat ants and termites. They eat up to 35,000 insects a day.
How big can the aardvark get?
100 – 130 cm
In which German zoo are there aardvarks?
In Cologne Zoo they sleep in an artificially built cave, visitors can look through a pane. In Germany, aardvarks are kept in only three other zoos: in Berlin, Frankfurt and Saarbrücken. Aardvarks can live up to 30 years in zoos.
How long is an aardvark’s tongue?
Toady tongue: The tongue is about 30 centimeters long and slimy – ideal for licking insects out of their burrows and tunnels. Hare’s Ear: The eavesdroppers are always upright when looking for food. In this way, the animal notices danger from predators in good time.
Why are aardvarks so important?
Because their behaviour and physical impact on the land has been shaping the desert for longer than we can ever imagine. That’s 5.2 million years before our species evolved and more than twice as long as any human-like animal has even existed. Aardvark burrows are enormous.
What are aardvarks special features?
The face is narrow with an elongated snout, very reduced eyes, and ears up to 24 cm (9.5 inches) long. The aardvark’s coat is scant and yellowish gray; the face and tail tip may be whitish. The four toes on the front foot (five on the hind feet) are equipped with strong, flattened nail-like “hooves” resembling spades.
Are aardvarks aggressive?
Their main form of defence is to escape very quickly underground however, they are also known to be quite aggressive when threatened by these larger animals. Aardvarks use their strong, sharp claws to try and injure their attacker along with kicking the threatening animal with their powerful back legs.
How fast can an aardvark run?
An aardvark can reportedly accelerate to 26 miles an hour. Not too shabby.
Can an aardvark jump?
Aardvarks are most active at night and tend to live alone. During the day, they sleep curled up in a ball in their burrows. As night falls, aardvarks will emerge cautiously from their dens, jumping around on the lookout for predators.
Can an aardvark be a pet?
Aardvarks would not make a good pet. They are nocturnal, so they would keep you up all night. Their burrowing habit would also be quite difficult to sustain in a backyard. In most places, it is illegal to own an aardvark as a pet.
Is aardvark edible?
There is a small number of edible animals which, for some peculiar charactertistics they present, are not affiliated in any of the mentioned categories, or are ambiguously affiliated. They are: aropi (flying squirrel), ate and ou (two species of pangolins), and igbo (aardvark).
How long does an aardvark live?
Aardvarks live for up to 23 years in captivity. Its keen hearing warns it of predators: lions, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs, hyenas, and pythons.